The Finest of Lines
by ThatWALKERKid
Summary: Sam Rhodes was dead. They had left Syracuse behind and moved on up to the bright lights of New York City. Carrie had done everything that she could to let go of the past but as they say, history always repeats itself. A stranger with a clue to who murdered Rachel will force Carrie into some dark territory, that maybe, just maybe, not even Al will be able to save her from.
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1:**

Carrie could feel her grip slipping. She willed her burning muscles to hold on just a little longer. Someone would come for her; they always did. The metal strut bit into her fingers and the rain that had begun to fall mixed with the blood that was making its way down her extended arm. She tried once again to pull herself up to safety but only managed to loosen her hold a little further; her left arm releasing its connection with the strut all together. Before she could stop it, a giggle escaped her lips. At this point all she felt she could do was laugh; she had been in worse situations than this right? For once her mind had failed to bring her a memory of such an occasion worse than this. Her heart began to pound harder as the desolate realisation dawned on her, that this could be it. That this time she had gone too far and no one, not even Al, was going to be able to save her.

 **1 WEEK EARLIER**

Carrie snapped awake; the shrill of her cell phone pulling her back into the world. She moaned unhappily at the inconvenience and rolled over to the other side of the bed to her impatiently ringing phone. She answered it begrudgingly; her tone letting the caller know that she was as far from being impresses as possible.

"Carrie Wells."

Her demeanour softened and her annoyance dissipated as she realised the caller was Al with a case. She rolled onto her back and rubbed at her temple while listening to the details; she could feel a headache coming on.

"Okay. Im on my way. Give me 20 minutes."

With that she hung up, letting the phone fall onto the bed beside her; she could feel a long day coming on as well. A few moments passed before she was able to drag herself out of the bed she already didn't want to leave. She loved her job, she did, but today Carrie Wells was not fully invested in the need to be out in the world. No matter what people thought of her and her "gift", she was human and today her mortal body was telling her she was not fighting fit to be in the presence of others without casualties. Nevertheless, she managed to get dressed and be somewhat put together in just under 15 minutes. Exiting her bathroom, her phone caught her off guard once again; its shrill tone unbecoming of anything good. She looked at its screen; _incoming call- AL BURNS._

 _"_ Al I'm on my way I promise."

Walking and talking Carrie grabbed her keys off the hall table and was out the door, coming face to face with the one and only Al Burns. Carrie hung and frowned at him. He beamed his thousand watt smile at her; disarming any ill will she was feeling.

"Thought maybe you would like a ride to the crime scene."

He handed her a takeaway cup of coffee. She smiled and sighed simultaneously; her gratitude evident.

"Anyone ever tell you that you're a god?"

Al laughed and guided her out of her building.

"Yes actually. I do believe there was that one time. My apartment… we had just closed the Halden case. I saved your life. You were very grateful.. and said…."

A smirk graced Carrie's lips as he recounted the story.

"Oh is that how it went? thats not how I remember it? If I recall, you had gotten yourself captured and I had to give myself up to save you…"

They reached his car and he stopped short of getting in.

"You know what Wells, you might need that memory thing of yours checked."

With that he got into the car, leaving Carrie grinning like an idiot. They had always been this comfortable around each other, but even more so now that they had come back from Syracuse. She didn't want to chalk it up to their night in the motel because that would just make things messy again. But somehow she liked this new energy they both had; she was always able to make him question his idea of what he remembered but it was even more refreshing when he made light of her memory, being that it wasn't alway the pleasantest of things to deal with. She got into the passenger seat and they were off to yet another crime scene; just like the hundreds of times before.

 _SYRACUSE, NY, 1998 (Carrie Wells memory)_

 _She let her eyes close as two muscular hands worked her shoulders though her blue plaid t-shirt. A smile slid its way onto her lips as she felt her partner, as a detective and in life, Al Burns, lay a soft kiss to her neck; the warmth of his breath on her skin gave her chills. She sighed contently._

 _"_ _Anyone ever tell you that you're a god?"_

 _Turning into him her arms locked around his neck. He immediately stole a kiss._

 _"_ _Well not that you mention it…."_

 _She eyed him curiously, knowing that he was playing with her, wanting her to remember a past scene just like the one playing out now. She bit her lip; stuff it she thought, she would play along. Leaning forward she whispered in Al's ear. She pulls back, smiles and leaps from his arms. He of course is right behind her._

 _"_ _Oh.. is that how you wanna play it?"_

 _He manages to grab hold of her and picking her up, puts her over his shoulder. She laughs as he carries her towards their bedroom like a cave man._

AL'S CAR - PRESENT

The laughter echoes around her and dissipates as she is pulled out of the memory by Al placing a gentle hand on her arm. Slightly started she looks at him. He looks back at her a soft worry in his eyes.

"You okay Carrie?"

This was not a new question for Carrie. Everyone would ask her at some point during the day. She would so what she always did, say what she always said; and it would for the most part be a lie. She cleared her throat and flicked him a smile.

"Yeah.. I'm good."

She looked out the window properly and realised they had reached their destination . They both exited the vehicle and were ushered under the yellow police cordon by a uniformed officer. Al let Carrie walk ahead of him; he knew that she was scanning, observing, soaking in every detail she could. He was a little worried about her. They hadn't spoken about their night together in the motel back in Syracuse and he wondered how she was feeling about it. He knew that she was a mixed bag of emotions that night and she needed him to be there; and he was… always would be.

He was pulled from his thoughts by Jo, who had made her way over to him from the body.

"Jo! What have we got?"

Jo eyed him for a moment, knowing she had just interrupted an Al Burns daydream.

"You know Al, one of these days your gonna have to actually tell her how you feel."

He went to object but Jo knew she had to be firm or he would never pick up his act.

"Any idiot can see that you two belong together, and you Al Burns… are no idiot! So just tell her already!"

Al frowned. As much as Jo's observation annoyed him, he knew she was right. He fiddled with his tie somewhat nervously before answering.

"She's not ready for that Jo. With all that happened in Syracuse…. with Sam. She needs to just **be** for a while. She doesn't need that kind of pressure…"

Carrie walked up behind Al and had caught the last part of the conversation. She had a feeling that she was the topic of it but asked anyway.

"Who doesn't need that kind of pressure?"

Al spun on his heel at the sound of her voice.

"No one… its nothing."

Jo frowned at him and he returned the glare.

"Jo… the body?"

Jo raised her hands in surrender and led the pair over to the body.

Carrie noted how the body was laying; however this person had died, it wasn't pleasant. Jo knelt down next to the body; she seemed to enjoy getting out of the morgue and to a crime scene.

"As you can see, it wasn't pleasant. Victim is male, late 20's. Massive blunt force trauma to the head."

Al squatted down next to Jo to get a better look. He grimaced at what lay before him.

"It looks like whatever happened… took half of his face off."

Jo nodded.

"Yep.. half the upper and lower mandible was ripped right off."

She moved around the body and lifted the blood soaked shirt.

"He's also got massive internal injuries, consistent with a hard impact. I'll know more after I open him up but I can tell you this.. whoever did this to him didn't mind him suffering."

Al stood up and looked around the scene. They were in the middle of an alley; a police cruiser blocked each end. His gaze drifted towards the fire escapes that dotted each side; the homes they protruded from eerily quiet. Carrie followed his gaze and immediately noticed the same thing; every window was quiet, save for the window 3rd in, top level. The curtain shut as quickly as it had been pulled to the side. She nudged Al and subtly pointed to the window.

"We have an audience."

Both Al and Jo looked up. Both saw nothing but closed windows but knew to trust Carries judgement.

"Okay Jo.. get on that autopsy… I wanna know everything we can. I'll have Jay run his ID but will match fingerprints and DNA, considering he's missing half his face. Carrie and I are gonna go have a talk with our window watcher."

Al pulled out his phone and dialled Jay. Carrie absentmindedly fiddled with the rings on her fingers and waited for Al to see what their next more was going to be. After a quick conversation with Jay, Al hung up; a perplexed look on his face. Carrie frowned at him.

"What?"

Al tapped his cellphone against the palm of his hand, trying to absorb the information Jay had just given him.

"Well according to Jay.. that apartment has been vacant for the past six months. The last tenant was murdered in there and they just haven't bee able to lease it."

Carrie frowned harder; someone had been in there, she saw it.

"Then how come I saw someone at **that** window looking down at **our** crime scene?"

Al shrugged and put his phone back inside his jacket pocket.

"I suppose we will just have to see what the building manager has to say about it."

Al held the door open as Carrie walked through it. The foyer if the building was exactly what you'd expect to find for this part of town; dark, minimal and not an elevator in sight. Carrie rubbed at her forehead trying to alleviate the thump it had going on. Al noticed her discomfort and not for the first time that day frowned with worry.

"You okay?"

Carrie looked at him and tried to smirk but couldn't quite manage it.

"You know.. you already asked me that today."

Al nodded and rocked back and forth on his heels, hands shoved deep in his pockets.

"Im aware… and I'll keep asking until you give me a reason not to anymore."

Carrie looked at the list of numbers on the wall and pressed the number for the building manager; ignoring al's statement completely.

"Carrie?"

Carrie pressed the button again and turned back to Al.

"It's just a headache… I'm fine."

Al knew there was probably more to it but didn't want to keep questioning her. As if on cue the inner door in front of them buzzed open and the duo began the climb to the top floor. As they ascended, they passed a few residents who were on their way out and saw a few scurry back into their homes as they walked by. When they reached the top floor, the building manager was waiting for them. Carrie eyed the large man, who had thought it a good idea to wear a shirt that didn't quite match his girth. As they got closer, she had to suppress the urge to gag; he smelled of cigarette smoke and bad body odour. She forced a smile at him but that soon disappeared when he opened his mouth to speak. Al noticed her discomfort and made sure to step in front of her, blocking the pair. She was grateful he could handle it. She just wanted to look inside the apartment.

"Hi.. I'm Lieutenant Al Burns.. this is Detective Carrie Wells.. Building manager?"

The robust man nodded and shoved a sausage finger laden hand towards Al who shook it.

"Yeah.. but Don is fine."

Al nodded.

"Okay Don.. The apartment over looking my crime scene.. has anyone been in and out of it at all today?"

Don cleared his throat and scratched at the heavy stubble on his chin.

"You mean apartment 410?.. Nah. Hasn't been anyone in there in like six months… Not since those Mexican street thugs carved up poor Mr. Howitt."

Al nodded at his statement curiously.

"You sure about that?"

Don nodded sluggishly.

"Yeah. I know we aint the Ritz or whatever but no one gets in without a key and without being buzzed up from the foyer."

Carrie turned back around to the two men.

"Tell that to.. Mr. Howitt.. was it?"

Don frowned and shifted on the spot.

"It's not my fault if her let them in. I just collect the rent checks and fix leaky pipes okay. I'm not a hall monitor."

Carrie raised an eyebrow and shot a look at Al. He knew if they didn't get inside that apartment soon there would be another homicide.

"Okay.. can we have a look inside the apartment?"

Don folded his arms across his chest and shook his head.

"Nah ah, not unless you got a warrant. I got peoples privacy to protect."

Carrie had had enough. She stepped forward, right in front of Don.

"Firstly… Don… I dont need a warrant to look inside an apartment that is currently unoccupied and secondly if you don't let us in.. I might just have to get someone from the councils office up here to check that your doing everything by the book.. including housing the correct number of people to one dwelling…. There were a lot of shoes lined up outside apartment 218.. the Riviera's right?… and third.. I will hall your ass down to lock up for obstruction. Simple choice. Open it or you can come with us. I know which option I'd choose."

Al shrugged and raised his eyebrows innocently as Don looked at him slack jawed.

"I'd listen to her if I were you. You don't know her like I do. She's hall your ass down to lock up and it wont be pleasant.

Carrie looks at Al and then back to Don. She gestures towards the apartment.

"Don?… the apartment?"

He huffed his annoyance and begrudgingly opened the door. Al stepped around him and placed a hand on his chest to stop him entering the apartment.

"We can take it from here."

Don nodded and tried to grab a peek over Al's shoulder before ambling away down the hall.

Al entered the apartment, pulling the door to behind him.

"Residential code violations?… really? That's a new one.. even for you."

Carrie took a step further into the apartment and smiled.

"It worked didn't it?.. besides he's lucky I didn't call the health department for endangering my will to live."

Al chuckled and began taking in his surroundings. The apartment had more appeal than the rest of the building. It has an airy feel; its open plan pale oak floor boards and island kitchen gave it bonus points. He watched Carrie soaking it all in as well. It always amazed him how she was able to just look at what was around her and she'd remember. It amazed him even more the way in which it happened.. Right now, there she stood, signature Carrie Wells stance; feet shoulder width apart, head tilted to the side as if it gave her better access to what she was seeing and then there was her hands- she fiddled with the rings on her fingers. He smiled to himself; she always played with the rings she wore. It was probably an unconscious act but he still found it adorable as hell.

Carrie clearing her throat brought him out of his thoughts; he must have been staring. He shook his head to get back in the game. Carrie made her way over to the window she had seen movement from earlier. Pulling back the curtain, she revealed the scene below; Jo was securing the body to a gurney and CSU was milling about. Al joined her and looked out. He frowned.

"Something doesn't add up here…."

He trailed off and did a 360 around the space.

"There is not sign of anyone having been in here in months. No fingerprints on the window…."

He pulled on a glove and slid his index finger along the countertop.

"A layer of dust undisturbed… I hate to be that guy Carrie… but…"

Carrie frowned. Her frustration at what he was suggesting evident.

"Then don't be… I know what I saw Al."

He threw his hands up in surrender; she wasn't normally wrong about what she saw.

"Okay… I'll get CSU to do a sweep to see what we can find."

Carrie walked back over to the window and looked down once again at the scene below. She didn't care what it looked like, what the evidence was saying.. she knew what she saw and by hell she was gonna prove it.


	2. Chapter 2

**THE FINEST OF LINES: CHAPTER 2**

 **AN: So here it is! Chapter 2.. Thank you to all those who have read the first chapter and are following the story. Also if my writing style seems a bit weird its because I'm a script writer and we have a certain way of writing.. It can be frustrating to some so please bear with me while I try to find a happy medium.. But without further a do… the adventure continues. Let me know what you think!**

 **I OWN NOTHING.**

Carrie steadied herself before pushing open the double swing doors to the morgue. As she entered, she could see Jo elbow deep in their victims chest. Jo looked up at her as she made her way over to the table. She smiled somewhat more gleefully than she should have considering her current activity. Carrie placed the water bottle in her hands down on a spare patch of bench and fished out the bottle of aspirin that was rattling around in her jacket pocket. She popped the lid and shook a handful out, throwing them in her mouth, followed by a generous guzzle of the water before her.

With the pills safely on their way to try and help shift her headache, Carrie turned her attention to Jo and the dead man on the table.

"Hey Jo, what's the go this guy?"

Pulling a number of internal organs out of the man's stomach and placing them in a metal bowl, Jo began her report to Carrie.

"Well as I said at the scene, what this man went through was not pleasant and judging by some older, more healed injuries its not the first time something like this has happened to him. Here look.."

Jo shone her light on the victims upper thighs. Carrie could now notice the pre- existing trauma; burn scars, cuts and a bullet hole. She frowned and rubbed her forehead, willing the painkillers to kick in already.

"Okay, any leads on who he is? Have we got DNA or fingerprints back?"

Jo smiled again and moved around to the side of the table Carrie was on.

"I thought you'd never ask."

She picked up the victims hand and held a magnifying glass over his finger tips. Carrie squinted at them through the glass.

"Jo?.. He doesn't have any fingerprints…"

Jo nodded and then grabbed a pair of tweezers of a tray beside her.

"I noticed it when I was doing nail scrapings to see i four unlucky friend here had any DNA from his killer under them. I, then also notice this…"

With the tweezers Jo pulled at the victims thumb; a large length of skin came off. Carrie frowned; she had no idea what was happening. This case just seemed to be one weird thing after another. Jo noticed her confusion.

"Only some of the fingers didn't have ridges.. when I took a closer look I realised that he had a silica type substance on some of them. I scanned them into the system…. Jay is looking them up now. Carrie nodded absentmindedly, staring off into the distance. Jo frowned; Carrie really wasn't her normal self.

"Are you okay Carrie?"

The question snapped her back into reality. Jo was the 2nd person today to ask and that didn't include Al's second crack at it. She sighed heavily and sank down onto the stool behind her.

"I guess I haven't been sleeping very well lately…. and this headache is something I'd like to forget."

Jo stepped up to her and checked her over. As blasé as she was, Jo hated seeing Carrie off her game.

"Is this since you came back from Syracuse?"

Carrie rubbed at her neck and shrugged.

"Maybe… I suppose… why?"

Jo grabbed the bottle of aspirin Carrie had opened earlier and examined it.

"That was some pretty heavy stuff you went through. Being back there… thinking you had finally gotten the bastard that killed Rachel and then that is ripped away… Your only lead dying.."

She paused a moment, contemplating her next statement.

"Al…."

At hearing his name slip from Jo's lips, Carrie eyed her suspiciously; what did she know about Al?

"What do you know Jo?"

Jo sucked her teeth and folded her arms across her chest.

"I know Al is worried about you… and that you haven't quite seemed yourself… These headaches for one… and why aren't you sleeping?"

Carrie took a deep breath and grabbed the bottle of aspirin that Jo was handing back to her. She got up.

"Ill be fine Jo… You know me… nothing a cup of coffee won't fix. Let me know if you get anything else off our vic."

Before Jo could utter another word, Carrie was out the door. Jo frowned and sucked at her teeth again. She would just have to trust that if it all got to be too much, Carrie would either talk to herself or to Al.

—

Al watched as the bank of screens in front of him changed at lightening speed. With every keystroke Jay made, the more and more information that came to life before him; pictures, records and financial data. So far nothing was adding up. He ran an exhausted hand through his hair and closed his eyes, stealing a moment to himself. Everything seemed to come to a standstill and he soaked it in. After a few moments he realised Jay had stopped typing. His eyes shot open and he came face to face with a smiling Jay; by the pleased look on his face Al knew he had something.

"You just gonna continue to stare at me?"

Jay smiled at him.

"I just didn't want to interrupt your moment."

Al looked back at him deadpan.

"Jay… what have you got?"

He spun back around in his chair and brought up an image of a young man; late 20's. Al studied the image. Jay hit a few more keys and a few more images came to life on the screen.

"This is our victim, one Alec Rusnikov. The finger prints that Jo scanned in for us popped. Carrie should be back soon with the full rundown on what left him missing half his face."

As if on cue, Carrie came strolling through the heavy metal door of the command centre. Al offered her a soft smile, which she returned as she came over. She looked at the monitors and frowned.

"Is that the victim?"

Al nodded.

"Yeah Jay was able to ID him off the finger prints Jo gave us."

Carrie shook her head and put her back towards the screens; closing the distance between herself and Al, not wanting Jay to think that he hadn't done his job right.

"Well we have 2 problems… 1, Jo said he had no fingerprints; I even saw his fingers… nothing. The hit your getting is from some sort of silica prosthetics."

Al frowned at her.

"Okay.. so we will now check with DNA and facial Rec…. What's the 2nd problem?"

Carrie bit her lip… apprehensive to continue.

"Ive seen him before.."

At this rate Al felt he was going to have enough lines in his face to put him into early retirement with the amount of frowning he was doing.

"When..?"

She looked at her shoes.

"Today.."

Al ran a hand over his weary face.

"Window watcher guy?"

Carrie shook her head.

"No. It was in the apartment building when you were talking to the building manager…. I saw this guy exit an apartment down the hall… apartment 403."

Al hated questioning her memory but she was definitely off her game.

"I hate to ask again but are you sure?" If you are that means we are back at square one. No ID… and no clue as to who murdered him."

Carrie fiddled with her rings, recalling the memory once again.

"You were talking to the building manager. I was looking down the left hand side of the hallway. Then he came out of apartment 403. I noticed he glanced over in our direction and then he went the other way. Probably went down the service stairs. He was wearing motorcycle leathers and had a helmet in his hand."

Recalling this fact, triggered another memory from earlier that day. Carrie let the memory play out.

 _CRIME SCENE- EARLIER THAT SAME DAY ( Carrie Wells memory)_

 _They both got out of Al's car and walked towards a uniformed officer who was holding up the tape for them. Carrie's gaze flicked to the left. There! A black and white Yamaha R25 sat next to a service door at the side of the building._

MAJOR CRIMES - PRESENT

The memory ended and Carrie turned around to Jay.

"Jay can you run a motorcycle plate number.. It's JT- 815."

Jay tapped away at the keyboard, retrieving the information. Al stepped up beside her.

"What are we looking for Carrie?"

She cocked her head to the side as the record came up Jay frowned and looked at the pair.

"That!… is what we are looking for."

The bike was registered to Alec Rusnikov.

"Okay now.. Jay can you cross reference that with cameras around the crime scene from this morning."

Jay chuckled, looking to see if Carrie was serious.

"Why would I need to cross reference the info of our dead guy?"

Al looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Just humour us okay?"

Jay shrugged and did as he was asked. Carrie couldn't help but nudge Al when the footage she expected to see came up.

"Ha!.. See… All day you've been questioning my judgement and memory… Not sure if I should be offended or what considering my memory and judgement are the only solid things about this case."

Al smiled softly and offered an apologetic look her way. Jay however was still perplexed.

"Okay so if Alec Rusnikov is still alive who has Jo got on her table and why does he have Rusnikov's prints?"

Al and Carrie had still been staring at each other cheekily. The stare off was broken by Elliot who came bounding out of his office.

"What in the good lord's name did you guys do?"

Both Al and Carrie looked at him innocently. Elliot looked at the screens behind them.

"You've got to be kidding me…."

 **AHHH so there it is.. Hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think :)**


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